Kneadful News by JackieJune 2014

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The Right SunscreenCut through the hype and learn what worksJason Barbaria

Protection from harmful UV rays can do wonders for your skin.

"All greatachievementsrequire time."-Maya Angelou

Office Hours and Contact

Jackie PoeOwner, Stress Knot Massage Studio706-217-5493

10% off Father's Day Gift Certificateswww.jackiepoe.massagetherapy.com

In this Issue

The Right SunscreenSteer Clear of the Gym Massage for Seniors

According to the American CancerSociety, more than 2 million people arediagnosed with skin cancer in the UnitedStates each year. There are more than2,000 over-the-counter sunscreenformulas on the market today. How canyou tell which sunscreens are the safest,most effective, and represent the bestvalue for your money? In most cases, theanswer comes down to the differencebetween the two types of filteringingredients.

Chemical or Physical?The UV radiation in sunlight consists ofUV-A, UV-B, and UV-C rays. UV-Aand UV-B are both responsible forphotoaging, skin cancer, sunburn,

tanning, and wrinkling. UV-C is not afactor in skin health, as it is absorbed bythe Earth's atmosphere and does notreach us in significant amounts.Broad-spectrum sunscreen protectsagainst both UV-A and UV-B. Thisprotection can work in one of two ways:chemical or physical.

CHEMICAL UV FILTERS

-Work by absorbing UV radiation.-Require application 30 minutes beforesun exposure.-Provide partial protection from UVspectrum.-May irritate the skin and eyes.-Not regulated for safety by the US Foodand Drug Administration (FDA); somemay even be carcinogenic.-Not photostable (exposure to sunlightdegrades effectiveness).-Avobenzone is the most commonlyused chemical filter ingredient.

PHYSICAL UV FILTERS-Work by reflecting UV radiation.-Start protecting immediately upon use.-Provide full broad-spectrumprotection.

-Non-irritating to skin and eyes.-Safe, as particles do not penetrate theskin.-Highly photostable (exposure tosunlight does not change effectiveness).

Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are themost commonly used physical filter

Learn what to look for to get the right sunscreen.

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ingredients. Clothing and shadestructures also count as physical filters.

How Stable Is It?One of the most important factors inthe effectiveness of a sunscreen formulais also one of the least known to thegeneral public. Photostability is aningredient's ability to remain effectiveafter exposure to sunlight. Many peopleare aware that this is an issue fornumerous skin care ingredients, butmay be surprised to learn that someactive ingredients in sunscreen--aproduct whose sole purpose involvesbeing exposed to sunlight--are notphotostable. In addition, the FDA's newrules do not require sunscreeningredients to be tested forphotostability. Yet, many consumersexpect that their sunscreen will protectthem for longer than one hour.Physical filters such as zinc oxide andtitanium dioxide are photostable.Studies have shown that theseingredients suffer no degradation aftermore than two hours of sun exposure.However, the chemical filter avobenzoneis not at all photostable, and degradesalmost completely in less than one hour.Even worse, avobenzone also degradeson contact with other UV filters such aszinc oxide or titanium dioxide, and withmetal ions such as iron oxide, which iscommonly found in makeup. This goesa long way toward explaining why manyconsumers experience sunburn evenafter applying sunscreen as directed.

Health ConcernsEffectiveness is not the only thing toconsider in any product being applied tothe face or body. Significant healthconcerns have also been raised aboutmany sunscreen ingredients. Here aresome issues to consider.Avobenzone has been found to generatefree radicals beyond acceptable safetylevels after sitting on the skin for justone hour, and children and pregnantwomen have been advised not to useproducts containing it.Octocrylene, which is known to act as anendocrine disrupter, is used in manysunscreens as a stabilizer. It can alsocause skin irritation. According to theArchives of Dermatology, "Octocryleneappears to be a strong allergen leadingto contact dermatitis in children andmostly photoallergic contact dermatitisin adults."

Chemical UV filters can also haveharmful effects on the environment.Octocrylene does not seem to beeffectively contained in wastewatertreatment plants, and studies inSwitzerland have indicated that itaccumulates in fish. Oxybenzone, achemical UV-B filter often used incombination with avobenzone, has beenfound to negatively impact reefecosystems and biodiversity.Physical UV filters, in contrast, have anexcellent safety profile. The FDA haslong considered zinc oxide to be a safeingredient for both external use and as afood additive, even in infant formula.Considering all these factors, physicalUV blockers represent the best choiceoverall. The main challenge in gettingconsumers to use sunscreens based onphysical filters is purely cosmetic: zincoxide and titanium dioxide tend to feelthick and greasy, and are visible on theskin, leaving a white residue. However,

new advances mean there are now anincreasing number of sunscreens thatuse these ingredients in formulationsthat allow for clear application.When evaluating a sunscreen, the mostimportant considerations should besafety and effectiveness. Carefullyexamine the ingredients and make use ofall available information to make thebest choices for yourself and yourfamily.

Jason Barbaria is director of marketing atDermagenics, a skin care line that includessunscreen, cleansers, and moisturizers.

Take it easy and let your massage soak in.

Steer Clear of the Gym Take it Easy After Your MassageRay Bishop

Massage for Seniors Bodywork Improves Quality of Life

When booking a massage, consider yourschedule, and try to avoid any strenuousphysical exertion for at least 24 hoursfollowing your bodywork session.Exercising after a session can bothincrease muscle soreness andcompromise the value of the soft-tissuework you've just received. "Strenuousexercise" includes activities such asrunning, weight lifting, high intensityaerobics, or power yoga classes.

Light exercise such as moderate walking,gentle stretching, or swimming laps atan easy pace is okay for healthyindividuals. One widely accepted view infavor of this twenty-four-hour recoveryperiod is that sustained pressure onconnective tissue makes it more gel-like.The technical term for this change isthixotropic effect. This state ofincreased softness lasts abouttwenty-four hours, so high-intensityexercise may pull or move the tissue backto old patterns or even induce newstrain patterns.

Experts usually suggest taking it easy thatevening and the following day. Tofurther reduce any bodywork-relatedsoreness, drink at least two liters ofwater in the next twenty-four hours tohydrate and flush your system. Take ahot Epsom salt bath and drink gentlycalming teas such as chamomile orpassionflower to facilitate sleep andreduce stress that is so commonly seen asa contributing factor in chronic muscletension and soreness. If you're dealingwith an injury, the guidelines should beadjusted, but these basic suggestionsseem to work well for most people.

It does appear that healthy people whoexercise vigorously five to six days a weeksometimes find even these modestrecommendations quite challenging. Ifyou're one of these people, considerworking out before your session andthen take it easy afterward.

To get the most out of your massage,hold off on the workout. When you dohit the gym again, you'll likely discover

your body is more fit than ever, thanksto the healing power of bodywork.

Almost 35 million Americans are age 65or older, and about 2,000 more reachthis age every day. As the U.S.demographic shifts to an olderpopulation, it's important to find waysof helping our elders maintain theirhealth and vitality. Massage for seniors isgaining importance as an alternativetherapy to increase quality of life, andmany massage therapists are gettingspecial training to better serve thisgrowing population.

Seniors' Special NeedsWhile similar in technique to otherforms of massage, geriatric massageconsiders the special needs of theelderly. The specialty trainedpractitioner knows about positioningfor greatest comfort and will often havethe client rest in the same position forthe entire massage. Mobility challenges

may dictate the massage be done in a bedor wheelchair. The therapist may alsowork both sides of the body at the sametime to enhance body awareness, or onlywork hands and feet, if the clientprefers. Sessions may be limited to 30 to45 minutes, as older clients often dobetter with shorter, more frequent,massages.

The geriatric massage therapist is awareof health issues associated with aging andhow to safely work with this type of clientand with associated physicians.Consequently, the practitioner is able toindividualize the massage service basedon the client's health, mobility, andcomfort level.

Benefits of Geriatric MassageA recent study conducted at the Weaver'sTale Retreat Center in Oregon looked

at the effects of massage for elderlyclients. The results of the two-year studyshowed that participants experienced adecrease in breathing rate of 50 percentand an improvement in range ofmotion, posture, body awareness, skincolor, and muscle tone. Furthermore, itis well documented that caring touchbenefits emotional well-being in seniors-- a population at greater risk ofsuffering from depression.

Massage therapy can add to the quality ofa senior's life, both physically andemotionally. Consider booking a sessionfor someone you love, and make adifference in their life.

Women, likemen, should tryto do theimpossible."And when theyfail, their failureshould be achallenge toothers."-Amelia Earhart

Jackie Poe, Licensed Massage Therapist

Father's Day Gift Certificates 10% off any Treatment

Location:

Stress Knot Massage Studio101 Court StreetCalhoun, GA 30701

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Stress Knot Massage Studio

101 Court StreetCalhoun , GA 30701